Correlated crustal and mantle melting documents proto-Tibetan Plateau growth

The mechanism that causes the rapid uplift and active magmatism of the Hoh-Xil Basin in the northern Tibetan Plateau and hence the outward growth of the proto-plateau is highly debated, more specifically, over the relationship between deep dynamics and surface uplift. Until recently the Hoh-Xil Basin remained uncovered by seismic networks due to inaccessibility. Here, based on linear seismic arrays across the Hoh-Xil Basin, we present a three-dimensional S-wave velocity (V_S) model of the crust and uppermost mantle structure beneath the Tibetan Plateau from ambient noise tomography. This model exhibits a widespread partially molten crust in the northern Tibetan Plateau but only isolated pockets in the south manifested as low-V_S anomalies in the middle crust. The spatial correlation of the widespread low-V_S anomalies with strong uppermost mantle low-V_S anomalies and young exposed magmatic rocks in the Hoh-Xil Basin suggests that the plateau grew through lithospheric mantle removal and its driven magmatism.